Watershield Treatment – The Solution to Prevent Weather Related Chimney Damage
How It Works
Our watershield treatment works like two magnets that are polarized the same way. It will actually push the water off the brick causing it to bead up.
Treated VS. Untreated Brick
Water repellent on the left side is causing water to bead up on the surface and shed off the brick. The water on the untreated bricks is left to absorb into the brick and cause problems in the future. Our water repellents are specifically formulated for chimney structures. The goal is to have the chimney shed water away and resist deterioration from the elements.
Watershield Treatments Include:
- 10 year material warranty.
- 100% breathable material which will allow water vapor to still escape the chimney.
- Does not trap water vapors in the chimney unlike sealers and silicone coatings which will trap water vapors in the chimney causing further damage to the chimney.
- Colorless: does not change the appearance of your chimney
- Installation by factor trained technicians to provide the best water repellent solutions customized for your needs.
Water, The Enemy of Chimneys!
According to the Brick Industry Association, water entry is the number one reason for the structural failure of brick. Brick and mortar are very porous and absorb water at a very large rate, combine that with large temperature differences from day to day in our region make for an even worse freeze thaw effect. Acid rain and pollutants will slowly eat away at the chimney. If the chimney is left untreated it could lead to costly repairs down the road.
Repairs may include tuckpointing, crown rebuild, or flashing repair/installation.
Signs of Water Entry
Spalling Brick:
Severe water penetration combined along with a freeze/thaw effect has caused the brick to crumble and fall apart in small pieces. This will eventually cause the entire structure of the chimney to fail. In the pictures you can see where brick has fallen onto the roof or where the face of the brick is missing.
Can be black, brown, or green in color, and is an early warning sign that water is entering the brick structure. It usually shows in patches or streaks of contrasting color to the chimney. Vegetative growth needs water in order to grow on the chimney. Unless removed and treated this usually lead to more severe forms or deterioration.
The white stains are caused by water penetration and leaching salts: They are unsightly and add to the deterioration of the chimney, once the chimney has been stained with efflorescence, it usually can not be removed unless the chimney is rebuilt.
Attacks from acid rain, water, freeze/thaw, and other pollutants and weather have left these chimneys structurally unsound.
The difference between the light and dark areas is caused by water soaking into the bricks. The dark areas are already soaked with water. If left untreated, you can expect the numerous freeze thaw cycles we go through in the year to eventually damage the chimney.
When a water leak goes untreated for long periods of time the damage can extended to other parts of fireplace as well. In these pictures the water has made its way all the way to the firebox inside the house. The mortar joints in these pictures has almost completely weakened to where the sides of the firebox are ready to collapse. The damage is so severe in these cases the fireboxes must be rebuilt.
